Alexa

March 17, 2012

Those of you who live in Michigan please go to this bill and then contact each one of the sponsors of this bill. If you know someone in Michigan please ask them to contact these sponsors. Let the sponsors know that we appreciate their support but now is the time to get movement on the bill. The sponsors need to present the bill via a legislative forum in the House and or the Senate Office Buildings. Also they need to pressure their Judiciary Committee colleagues to have a hearing or move the legislation to another committee or to the floor for a vote.

July 23, 2011

Have we created a Matriarchy that is bankrupting nations, abusing children?

The new feminism (second wave [the radicals]) who have to be a part of everything male while acting in a misandric fashion are creating a sadistic Matriarchy across the globe. If Men and women split everything 50/50 and women get 50% of the man's 50 and 7/8ths of the remaining twenty five percent as special entitlements that equals 97.25% - maybe that is why females make the majority of retail purchases.

I can envision men reading this crossing their legs, wringing their hands uncomfortably almost whining: I hope they read the rest of this, check out the links, STOP, breathe and then reflect: the truth is in the studies. We have for decades lazily subscribed to urban myth even though lies have been proven and dispelled: <http://dadsofmichigan.blogspot.com/2011/07/warshak-brief-in-lamagusa.html> Warshak

Not all single mothers are sadistic but images of Britney, Lindsey and Casey should wake us up a little simply look up female violence on You Tube . "`Oh say it is not true" exclaim the gentlemen twisting in their seats, perhaps, but this material is not made up <http://antimisandry.com/abuse-dv/> Bringing Attention to Abuse By Females it is true Google has tried to censor such material as hate speech preferring homosexual friendly comments (sorry their editorial preference and a true statement simply ask bloggers).

All mothers probably are not that violent despite the ones we have seen grabbing their children by the arm in the grocery store, we do know (even if we are afraid to discuss it) at least some moms utilize the electronic babysitter, we have been talking about it for decades, but could it lead to this: <http://westmichigandad.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/should-parents-of-obese-kid s-lose-custody/> Should parents of obese kids lose custody?

The Public Broadcast System actually airs programming that touches upon religion, last weekend I listened to a Catholic Bishop lamenting the injury upon all of those poor families that the current budget debacle will cause. I am certain the Bishop truly had in mind social injustice to less fortunate people _ I truly believe the Bishop had no conception at all he really is lamenting a minor loss in funding for the enabling of single mother homes whilst depriving children of their fathers.

There is no logic in promoting Fatherhood whilst denigrating Fathers. There is no logic in promoting a social system that separates children from their fathers whilst costing America three hundred thirty-six billion dollars annually <http://dadsofmichigan.blogspot.com/2011/07/sex-money.html> Sex, money.and national bankruptcies.

Perhaps no one really cares enough to have read this far, or someone is yawning, or instead of twisting in their seat someone has urinated, can we seriously imagine grown adults so afraid of women, there are afraid to read this?

Both will be joining former Kent County judicial candidate Bryan Down, Esq. Attorney Bryan C. Downs has been a dedicated cyclist for the Equal Parenting Bike Trek in both 2008 and 2009. There are three confirmed cyclists for the 2010 Equal Parenting Bike Trek, with an additional select few who will be joining Robb, Robert and Bryan during the 700 + miles cycling trek for parental rights.

The 2010 Equal Parenting Bike Trek will be departing from Lansing Michigan and will pedal through both the Lower and Upper peninsulas of Michigan in support of a child's right to be loved, guided, nurtured and educated by both fit and willing parents.

Stay tuned for more information on this incredible equal parenting event!

June 14, 2009

I admit I have been completely baffled as to the complacency, laziness, and ignorance of the American public in general when it comes to becoming enlightened and educated, on any subject in general.

Case in point-at my place of employment-a unionized shop-recently a "petition" was circulated. All union members were expected to sign it. All it stated was some vague mention of the automotive restructuring plan, and an equally vague mention of saving American workers' jobs. No specifics at all.

I passed on signing it, and requested to speak with our union president about it-instead, a union committee person came to discuss the petition-the one responsible for circulating it. I asked her if she knew any specifics on it at all-basically to verify if the union leadership knew what they were circulating for signatures. She knew basically nothing of it, except for some news she had heard of "the bailout".

I inquired as to why the union leadership was circulating this, since they knew very little of it. I was told that the "international" president , with his team of lawyers, had asked all locals to get all their members signatures on this matter, and that she trusted them.

I then asked why she trusted these people, when they were the same ones who advocated voting for Obama for president, Granholm for governor of Michigan, and, in the past, Clinton for president. Observing all the damage these incompetents have inflicted upon the American public, trusting them would seem a very stupid thing to do, and the last thing that any responsible union leader should want to do.

At that point of the conversation, all I could think of was "baa baa-another blind sheep". The committee person was as blind as a sheep headed for its own demise, as are the union members who signed the petition without even knowing what they were signing , or the implications of doing so.

This is, literally, the blind and the ignorant leading the blind and the even more ignorant.

The committee person then asked why I was still bashing former President Clinton. She and I have had this talk before, but I repeated myself for her convenience. Former President Clinton, in my opinion, committed two of the worst acts against the people of the United States that anyone could have inflicted.

First, he signed the NAFTA agreement, which has cost hundreds of thousands of Americans their jobs, and has allowed American corporations to move outside of our borders to profit THEM, at the expense of the American worker.

Second, during his administration, Clinton supported the corruption and perversion of Social Security's Title IV-D. This program, originally intended to gather support dollars for children whose parents actually abandoned them, was changed to include ALL divorcing parents. This program would never recoup the expenses it cost without including the middle and upper classes in the bureaucracy, since so many of the other parents were unemployed or under-employed. This encouraged the states to label parents as "non-custodial" instead of "abandoning" in order to reap the billions of federal dollars flowing into the divorce industry, and pays them to destroy families and the lives of our children.

It is absolutely amazing that the American public continues to support politicians whose only answer to severe domestic and economic problems is to throw money at them. Many elected officials are guilty of this, but the Democrats are far ahead in doing so, in my opinion.

Their solutions always seem to be to increase government bureaucracy, line the pockets of whomever advises them of the problem, and then realize that to fund the new program, that taxes must be raised to cover the costs. They care not for the American people-the programs and the bureaucracy are all that matter to them!

So, fellow Americans, for all of our sakes, open your eyes, and see what their actions are doing to us. Don't blindly follow and believe their false and misleading rhetoric. If you continue to blindly follow along, you are doing precisely what they want you to do. They are methodically stripping Americans of our livelihood, our ability to pay our bills, they are taking away our fundamental and Constitutional rights, and are PREVENTING us from caring for and raising our children.

For you "sheeple", stop including the rest of us in your path of self-destruction. We want no part of it!

Others are awakening to their demise-which will you choose to do-remain a part of the problem(s), or become a part of those seeking the solutions to ending this destruction and abuse?

May 19, 2009

House Joint Resolution 42 is gaining serious momentum with 92 Congressional co-sponsors and counting! Are you a parent? It doesn't matter if you are a mother or a father here in the United States because all parents will lose the ability to parent their children if the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is passed in the United States. "Convention on the Rights of the Child" sounds so innocent and something that all might be fooled to support. In reality this will strip your ability to parent your children and all in the United States must parent to the UN's demands.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is also a serious threat to our Second Amendment Rights of LEGAL gun ownership. Read this article by Michael P. Ferris, J.D.on how the UNCRC will impact the rights of private gun ownership in America. Gun Owners of America already is listed as a supporter of H.J. Res. 42, however sadly the NRA (National Rifle Association) is not currently listed as a supporter. NRA members contact the NRA now and demand their support of H.J. Res. 42.

If your U.S. Representative is not on the list, please call or email them and urge them to become a sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment (H.J. Res. 42). Find your Representative and demand their support as a voter!

Please tell everyone you know about the Parental Rights Amendment and ask for their ACTIVE support.

Thank you Rep. Pete Hoekstra for showing leadership as lead sponsor of H.J. Res. 42. Rep. Hoekstra is now running for Governorin the State of Michigan and should receive your support from all in the state of Michigan.

April 15, 2009

Continuing with the fourth "best interest of the child" factor, factor (d) reads : "the length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment, and the desirability of maintaining continuity."

How can a judge possibly award this factor to a mom who has taken off from the marital home, with the kids (kidnapping), and is hiding in some "domestic violence" shelter while proclaiming all of her lies?

Regardless of where mom has "fled to", whether it be with a boyfriend at his place, her parents, an apartment, or a "shelter" of some sort, how can it possibly compare to the home environment the children have been in? This should be a no-brainer, but, again, this factor is one that the lawyers and judges can twist around to their liking, and make this factor fit into whatever the predetermined decision their friend of the court conciliator has made. It's time again for another judicial "rubber stamp".

This is no doubt a key reason so many fathers are tossed from their home if the wife/mother has not "fled for her life" with the false allegations, trumped up lies and concocted accusations at the local women's' safe place shelter. False allegations are more common than you might think.

April 14, 2009

Best Interests of the family courts budget? I would now like to continue with section (c), or the third "best interests of the child" criteria as defined in Michigan law. This reads: "the capacity and disposition of the parties involved to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care or other remedial care recognized and permitted under the laws of this state in place of medical care, and other material needs".

This basically comes down to whether a parent can provide the material things for his or her own child.....and this is the factor that is routinely handed to the custodial parent-AFTER they start receiving child support payments. It does NOT matter to your judge if the parent is employed, employable, or even is capable of actually taking care of the child(ren).

Another point arises here-exactly WHOM should be able to claim the child(ren) as dependent(s)-and whose dependents are they-it doesn't matter to the courts or to the government who actually PAYS for the actual support-it only matters to them WHO the child stays with OVERNIGHT-hence the reason that the courts keep the amount of time the child(ren) spend with the NCP to the barest minimum they can.

This is also where Social Security's Title IV-D comes in. You can run any good internet search engine and find a wealth of information on Title IV-D, but I will give you a brief and working summary of it.

Title IV-D was originally started as a Federal program to collect support funds from parents who had WILLFULLY and DELIBERATELY abandoned his or her children, and to help establish paternity of these abandoned children when necessary. Very noble-any parent who abandons his or her children should be tracked down, their wages garnished, and otherwise be treated as the fiend they are. This was implemented to recover the costs of placing the children/family on the old TANF program-TEMPORARY assistance.

HOWEVER....

Title IV-D has now been perverted, through the federal financial incentives, to include virtually ALL parents who divorce. A change in 1996, during the Clinton Administration, changed key wording from the "absent" parent to the "non-custodial" parent. This opened the door for the states, and their county court judges to make a parent the non-custodial, and rake in the federal grants and incentive bonuses from the feds.

Because of this greed, MILLIONS of parents, never on welfare rolls, have been forced from the lives of their child(ren) so their county and state can make a profit from that divorce and child custody fight.

Michigan alone collects MILLIONS of dollars yearly for this. The average yearly total for the states collectively-4.2 BILLION dollars, plus incentives worth another $428 MILLION in 2006 alone.

All of that, to reward the judges and other bureaucrats for removing a loving, capable, and fit parent from the lives of his or her children.

Of course, the NCP chosen is normally the one who can actually PAY the support-whomever has the larger paycheck is normally chosen. Yes, the number of mother NCP's is increasing, as the average salary of American women increases. The larger the support amounts, the more the states get in the financial incentives. The more divorcing parents they can indoctrinate into the system, the more they collect, and on, and on, and on.....

So, it matters not to the judges who can actually support the children after a divorce-their chosen and anointed one will be handed what (s)he needs, so factor (c) can be awarded to her (usually), just as in my personal case.

March 30, 2009

Factor (e) of the "best interests of the child" criteria under Michigan law reads: "the permanence, as a family unit, of the existing or proposed custodial homes or homes."

This factor is one in which dads routinely are given the shaft. In my personal case, this one was figured equally, as I had managed to hang on the marital home, seeing as how the soon-to-be-ex had no claim to it, at all. She hid in a shelter for about six weeks, and then found a subsidised (and filthy) apartment to rent. Yet, that place was deemed a "custodial home". After all, mom can't lose too many of the factors, or she loses the custody battle, and the county and the State of Michigan won't profit from this custody fight.....

Here, though, if a dad has been tossed from the home, what is he to do for a "custodial home". Depending on where he has been able to find a bed or a couch even, the biased judges will hold that against him in a flash.

We also need to look at the wording "as a family unit". This is a no-brainer for the system-remove the dad, one way or another, and the "family unit" is mom and the kids, regardless of how loving, dedicated, and active the father was in the lives of his children.

Heck, even if mom if moving the kids from shelter to apartment to grandma's and then to yet another apartment, that is still a good enough "custodial home" for a Michigan family law judge.

March 27, 2009

Sounds nice, doesn't it? That sentence is from the MCL's-Michigan Compiled Law 722.23, which defines the "best Interests of the child" criteria, and is factor "a". The twelve factors are what Michigan judges currently use, in a child custody case, to decide which parent will be the custodial and which will be the non-custodial.

Why am I writing about this?

This was one of two factors I "lost" to my ex-wife in our child custody fight five years ago, when our county circuit court judge annointed her to be the best, and fit, parent to raise our only two children. More on that yet to come.

A few days ago, my daughters participated in their elementary school's spring musical-the first for my first-grader, complete with butterflies and all. My third-grader, now a veteran at these, took it all in stride.

About 500 folks were in the audience-proud parents, adoring grandparents, siblings, and others. Quite a task for the youngsters to go out in front of, and sing for. First, the first and second graders took the stage, and following their twenty minute performance, the third, fourth and fifth graders had the stage for their 25 minutes. After the performance, I went to the school's gymnasium to collect my two girls, where I gave both of them a big hug, a kiss on the cheek, and told them how proud I was of them.

We then went outside, where their mom was waiting for them. The musical occurred on one of my "parenting time" evenings, the time of which ended during the performance. Not only did she make no effort to go to the gymnasium and collect them, her only comment to them was, "I guess you did all right". No hug. No kiss. No statement to our daughters of how proud she was of them. Their maternal grandmother, who always tags along for everything, said and did absolutely nothing.

My point here is this. Re-read the title to this post-factor "a" of the Michigan law concerning the "best interests of the child" factor. You try to figure out why ANY impartial and non-biased judge would award that factor to a mom who acts this way towards her children. No loving and fit parent tells her children "I guess you did all right" after a school performance, do they?

We''ll get much deeper into the facts of how this all works. FOR THE COURTS, and AGAINST THE FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN.

March 23, 2009

"She told everyone that her husband had gone to the car races at Bathurst and never returned," Mr Hobart said.

"Chant dumped her husband's torso at a truck stop in Kiama, his arms and legs in the Georges River and his hands in a container that she filled with cement and dumped in a builders' bin in Menai, Mr Hobart said."

"She allegedly put his head in an esky, filled it with cement and buried it under a bird aviary in the backyard of her Revesby home, later disposing of it with the help of her son, Jamie Chant, who was then 19."

March 17, 2009

Most everyone seems to have a difficult time getting back into the "dating game" after a divorce. For those dads among us who have taken an active role in fighting the abuses of the family law court system pertaining to child custody post-divorce, this is even more of a challenge.

The reality of this country is this: most women seem to resent fathers who want their children-to these dads, their kids come first, as they should.

From my personal experiences, women, particularly those who are divorced, seem to be looking for one or more of the following:

1. Mr Movie Star. The guy had to be physically attractive to get their time of day, or else forget it.

2. Mr. Moneybags. The guy has to have loads of money to spend on her, or else forget it.

3. Mr. Pursuit. This guy has to "chase" the woman. For some idiotic reason, far too many women seem to feel that they must be "pursued". Good luck with that, ladies.

I will take my hat off to those of you who failed at the first marriage attempt, and have somehow managed to find "the right one" this time, hopefully, and try it again. I hope it works out for all of you.

In reality, re-marriage seems to happen fairly quickly, within a couple of years, or not at all.

Personally, I have been told by several prospective girlfriends that they and their kids would come first, and "to heck" with mine. I have also been told, by more than one, that she could not possibly stand to have a boyfriend who actually wanted`his' kids at home with him.

In my humble opinion, women, those in Michigan in particular, have a serious attitude problem when it comes to looking for men. Most men will not fall into one of the three categories above-leaving most people single, which is not a bad thing, but is far from what most of us desire.

Mr. "average man" has little, if any, chance out there today. And, if he happens to advocate against the abuses committed by our family courts, he may as well hang it up. I speak with other father advocates who relay the same message to me-they have given up on dating, much less on ever finding a compatible lady to spend their life with.

It seems to me that if this "forced perception" of divorced fathers was brought back to into the realm of reality, that we all would be much better off. This perception is inflicted upon us all by today's media and the courts themselves.

March 16, 2009

Robert Pedersen was interviewed last week on the Omlette and Finster Show on KLT 98.9 FM regarding the current state of child custody and child support laws in Michigan. Title IV-D federal incentives were discussed in great detail.

The website for A Child's Right received a huge traffic spike after the interview concluded. Equal Parenting advocates should always seek media opportunities to get our message out in public.

March 13, 2009

Angelo Lobo, Director/Producer of the documentary film "Support? System Down", interviewed by Lary Holland on the popular talkshow "Get Your Justice Live". Robert Pedersen chimes in with his support of this effort. An excellent interview on this show!

Listen and find out why Director/Producer Angelo Lobo is so passionate about this film. Be sure to also watch the four trailers for this shocking documentary film.

It is very important that you help support the success of this documentary film. Without your support this movie will not reach national distribution - PLEASE PURCHASE THE SNEAK PEEK DVD NOW. Buying the sneak peek allows you to deduct the cost when the final distribution cut is available. Do you want this documentary film to make it to the mainstream? If so buy it now!

March 08, 2009

If college student Caleb Hogan argues what he truly believes, he stands to lose the most important competition of his life—and the support of his mother. If he softens his stance, he might win the coveted title...but lose the heart of his teammate Rachel in the process.

Come What May is a vivid reminder that choosing what’s right is never easy...but it’s always worth the cost.

March 04, 2009

Obviously we are thrilled that Protein Wisdom decided to post an article about the upcoming documentary "Support? System Down"! Thousands of Protein Wisdom's readers will be exposed to the brutal family court system here in America and how it is clearly profit driven under Title IV-D.

If you do not read Protein Wisdom on a daily basis you should visit a few days in a row and you will be hooked. It is witty, funny, informative and the topics are numerous enough to capture your attention. Really - you just have to admire the writing at Protein Wisdom!

If you don't think family courts are profit driven and make horrible decisions regarding our children just watch this:

Ron Paul and Campaign for Liberty activists should be all over this one!! The first step in destroying a liberty based society is to weaken the family unit. Read Common Sense Revisited and you will understand my point better.

I am surprised that the Ron Paul and Campaign for Liberty folks have not picked up on how POWERFUL it would be to point out that the systematic attack on the American family is step one in reducing liberties in a free society. Let's just hope they see this post and incorporate this in their messaging.

"The Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall 'deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law.' We have long recognized that the Amendment's Due Process Clause like its Fifth Amendment counterpart, 'guarantees more than fair process.' The Clause includes a substantive component that 'provides heightened protection against governmental interference with certain fundamental rights and liberty interest" and "the liberty interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children-is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interest recognized by this Court."

One of the best tools to expose the corruption of America's family courts and the attackon the American family is an upcoming documentary titled "Support? System Down. Most educated people are not aware of the fact that family courts PROFIT by creating a non-custodial parent after a divorce. They also profit by setting child support at the highest possible level; even if it destroys the non-custodial parent. Learn the shocking truth of Title IV-D and how the profit-motivated family court systems are attacking our fundamental liberties, our families and the constitution.

Support? System Down is a high quality, shocking documentary which outlines the attack on families, liberties, and the Constitution. Please review the incredible quality of this movie by viewing the four trailers . My personal favorites are "It's About The Kids" and "Corruption".

Ron Paul, Campaign for Liberty, Equal Parenting and Family Court Reform activists should place their support behind this powerful documentary. The Director/Producer of Support? System Down needs to raise additional funds to mass produce the final cut on DVD.

By helping in these two ways, you can help bring this documentary movie onto a mass produced DVD. It is vital to get this message out to the public and Support? System Down is a powerful way to do just that.

Buy the Sneak Peek DVD now and be sure to enter the code childright at checkout for two dollars off! Mail a copy to your elected officials, a judge, a child custody caseworker, your local child support office, etc.

**Ron Paul, Equal Parenting, Campaign for Liberty and Family Court Reform activists please forward this blog post to all that you know. Even better - blog about Support? System Down and link to this post with the two dollars off code**

Learn more about:

Angelo Lobo - the Producer/Director of Support? System Down Angelo Lobo - Producer/Director

December 20, 2008

Michigan Republicans were placed on life support after the 2008 November election. The losses were BEYOND significant. This wave of party destruction could change significantly if Michigan Republican Precinct Delegates support Jack Hoogendyk for Republican Party Chairman.

Many Republicans at both the state and federal level feel that they no longer have a party to call home. Ron Paul Republicans look at the Republican Party and wonder how the train wreck occurred over and over again to the core principles that the Republican Party once stood for.

Don't dismiss the significance of Ron Paul Republicans in Michigan! Ron Paul received 54,475 votes even beating media darlings Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuilani. In fact, ALMOST beating them both in combined votes. The Michigan Ron Paul Republicans numbers have further increased since the launch of Campaign for Liberty in Michigan and across the country. Keep in mind that many NEW Republicans joined the party just to vote for Ron Paul.

There are growing reports of MANY Ron Paul supporting Republican Precinct Delegates making the decision to support Jack Hoogendyk for Party Chair in Michigan. This is excellent news and I would ask for their continued support of Jack Hoogendyk.

In comes Jack...

Jack Hoogendyk will truly help unite a Michigan Republican Party. Jack will draw support of Republicans across the political spectrum and create the positive change needed for victory in Michigan. If you review Jack's voting record it will become clear that he will bring the Michigan Republican Party back to it's core conservative principles, which is precisely how success will begin.

I also strongly believe that Jack Hoogendyk will create the same typeof passion and excitement that Ron Paul did for this party. People loved voting for Jack Hoogendyk as state representative because he was not "wishy-washy" or a Republican in name only (RHINO). You knew where he stands and where he will take this party.

For example, Jack Hoogendyk was a strong supporter of Michigan House Bill 4564 and did not waiver on his support of equal parenting for fit and willing parents. To hear Jack speak about HB4564 was truly an exciting experience - his message was simple - to NOT support equal parenting for fit and willing parents is wrong for BOTH parents - BUT MOST OF ALL WRONG FOR THE CHILDREN. Zerowavering - his position clearly defined in a way anyone could understand.

This is really what Michigan Republicans need to win big once again. All to often, you hear people state that it is becoming difficult to differentiate between Republicans and Democrats in Michigan.

So Michigan Republican Precinct Delegates I urge you to support Jack Hoogendyk for Michigan Republican Party Chair. Visit Jack Hoogendyk's website and voice your support. Be sure to also visit his blog Core Principles which has been excellent to date.

Let Jack Hoogendyk bring ALL Michigan Republicans together to create passion, excitement and most of all VICTORY! The economy in Michigan will most likely become even more challenging than it is currently. EVERY REPUBLICAN needs to understand the changes needed to connect with voters. These changes and core values are clearly defined in this youtube video. This is a must see video all the way to the end. I pray that Michigan Republicans will support Jack Hoogendyk and also LEARN from the wisdom of Ron Paul as documented in the above video.

December 15, 2008

This is easily one of the best youtube videos I have seen in some time. The Republican Party REFUSED to truly listen to Ron Paul Republicans. At every turn they tried to block Ron Paul's access, During debates they made jabs at him to make him seem incompetent.

SADLY, the Republican Party did not listen. In fact, even after the election in a special Republican Party GOP meeting, to essentially move forward after a horrible loss, - Ron Paul was not invited!

Ron Paul was correct and this is a HUGE "told you so moment"! Again will Republicans learn from their mistakes? Many die-hard Republicans are having a difficult time seeing the difference between Republicans and Democrats right now. Listen now Republicans before the economy collapses in 2009-10 and rolls into a Great Depression. Laugh now, make jokes, deny again - Ron Paul Republicans pray that there will never be another "we told you so moment".

This video is INCREDIBLE. It starts out slow and then WOW! Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, and many news reporters really look like fools when you compare the time-line (Before and After) in this video.

Many believe Ron Paul Republicans were just a craze phase and will disappear. GOP if you still think this you will once again lose election after election. While the GOP is still talking Reagan they shouldhave been listening to Ron Paul. Educate yourself and join the Campaign for Liberty now!

American taxpayers are told that we should support the auto industry bailout with our tax dollars. Why the hell should we? The Big 3 are investing more (new investments) in other countries than in the U.S. And how was NAFTA good for us? Congress also wants a federal automaker czar to oversee the auto companies. Sounds like communism to me!

Does this make sense to you? Your tax dollars will be used to bailout POORLY managed companies. Why should incompetence be rewarded with OUR tax dollars? I bet that no part of the bailout includes firing the current CEO's and replacing them! The executives still get to keep their massive bonuses at the end of this deal is my guess. This bailout sounds more and more like the Wall Street bailout - benefiting only a select few!

Why should AMERICAN tax dollars be used to bailout companies which are investing more in foreign countries than here at home?

One example - Ford is asking for a bailout with AMERICAN tax dollars when they are cutting 30,000 jobs in America, while hiring over 150,000 more workers in Mexico. Ford wants a bailout with AMERICAN tax dollars and they announced in 2006 a 9.2 BILLION dollar investment in Mexico. Thus, 15% or 1 in 7 of all unemployed people in Mexico will soon become employed by Ford. This is 3 Billion of the 9.2 Billion.

Are we bailing out the Ford Motor Company which spent close to a Billion dollars to purchase a Romanian car company in 2007? Didn't Ford Motor Company just spend 500 million dollars to expand one of their plants in Thailand? Isn't this the Ford Motor Company that recently invested roughly 28 million dollars in a new research and engineering center in China? And 375 million dollars in Turkey?

So do you REALLY think that this bailout will help Americans? Perhaps you should take a look at the future as presented by Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. While watching this ask yourself who this bailout is REALLY benefiting and whether or not NAFTA has hurt the American worker.

WAKE UP AMERICANS! You and your children will be forced to pay taxes on a rising national debt. Contact your U.S. Senator IMMEDIATELY and tell them NO on the U.S. auto bailout! There are reports that the U.S. Senate will be an uphill battle for the U.S. auto bailout.

Will the next meltdown, the third of the 21st Century, trigger a second Great Depression? Or will the 2007-08 crisis simply morph into a painful extension of today's mess to 2011 and beyond, with no new bull market, no economic recovery as our new president hopes?

Perhaps some of the first 29 problems may be solved separately, but collectively, after building on a failed ideology, they spell disaster.

So listen closely to "leading indicator" No. 30:

At a recent Reuters Global Finance Summit former Goldman Sachs chairman John Whitehead was interviewed. He was also Ronald Reagan's Deputy Secretary of State and a former chairman of the N.Y. Fed. He says America's problems will take years and will burn trillions.

He sees "nothing but large increases in the deficit ... I think it would be worse than the depression. ... Before I go to sleep at night, I wonder if tomorrow is the day Moody's and S&P will announce a downgrade of U.S. government bonds." It'll get worse because "the public is not prepared to increase taxes. Both parties were for reducing taxes, reducing income to government, and both parties favored a number of new programs, all very costly and all done by the government."

Reuters concludes: "Whitehead said he is speaking out on this topic because he is concerned no lawmakers are against these new spending programs and none will stand up and call for higher taxes. 'I just want to get people thinking about this, and to realize this is a road to disaster,' said Whitehead. 'I've always been a positive person and optimistic, but I don't see a solution here.'"

We see the Great Depression 2. Why? Wall Street's self-interested greed. They are their own worst enemy ... and America's too.

November 21, 2008

Truly one of the best films we have seen in some time! MUST SEE! Fireproof The Movie is an excellent film about a couple struggling with the possibility of divorce. An inspirational film for all couples to see.

Fireproof your marriage and stay out of the hell known as family court. An excellent point on this movie - it does NOT place blame on just men like so many mainstream movies, it truly does review both sides husband and wife.

One of the greatest threats to marriages that this movie fails to point out is Title IV-D. However, it makes sense that this was not mentioned because the couple in the story do not have children.

Fireproof - The Movie has already made movie history. Only five times before Fireproof came along had a movie been made on a budget of $500,000 and grossed over $30 million! Proof that Hollywood is missing a serious niche that audiences are demanding.

EXCELLENT film - See it NOW before it leaves the theaters. Below you can click on various tabs to learn more about the movie Fireproof. Be sure to click on "Watch Trailer" below. If you have seen this movie please comment below and tell our readers what you thought of it.

Just a note to remind all of you-many schools have food drives going on this time of year. Even though times are tough for all of us, please do what you can to help these collection drives be successful.

Please remember-families just like yours are having problems putting a proper meal on the table, and many children are not getting enough of the right foods to eat.

The family you help out may be one just down the street-dad may have lost his job due to a layoff or a downsize, and mom may be working part-time still, to try to pay some bills.....

Being a divorced, non-custodial dad, and still unmarried, I am the sole bread winner for myself and my two daughters. I still managed to get a reasonable bag of canned and non-perishable foods for each of my daughters to add to their class' collection for the schools food drive.

November 19, 2008

Excellent article on Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty blog. The most devastating loss in Michigan in November was Tim Walberg's loss to Liberal Mark Schauer. Tim Walberg is a true patriot of liberty, as pointed out in Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty blog, he voted twice against the bailout. The bailout will only mean that taxpayers and their children will become financial slaves to the tax burden created by this bailout.

"Michigan's Tim Walberg lost his seat, too, though. Walberg voted against the Great Robbery both times."

Glad the Campaign for Liberty recognizes Tim Walberg for being a true patriot and one who fights for his constituents. Special thanks for doing this!

As Ron Paul stated there are probably even more bailoutson the horizon which the government will ram down our throats. The greatest loss to Michigan is Tim Walberg. Too bad the National RNC did not have the intelligence to figure this out before the loss.

I personally wrote the RNC a total of five times regarding the need for them to step it up a notch on helping Tim Walberg. Number of times they responded - ZERO.

The Michigan Republicans and the RNC are trying to figure out what happened this election and the direction they should go. GIVE US MORE CANDIDATES LIKE TIM WALBERG AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU SEE REPUBLICANS GOING TO VOTE. More and more I am seeing virtually no difference between Republicans and Democrats.

Many people have a system for something-they can have one at work, or at home. It likely helps them accomplish some sort of task.

However, bureaucracy also has its systems. Government bureaucracy, and even other bureaucratic types have their systems. Some are merely annoying. Some can be debilitating, some can be dangerous, while others can be devastating.

Allow me to offer a comparison of how two "systems" can cause harm.

I am a University of Michigan Wolverine football fan. This year, their new coach, Rich Rodriquez, has the Wolverines running what is called a "spread offense", which differs from that the team is used to running, and what the athletes were recruited to run.

This year, the Wolverines have a 3-8 record, with one game remaining. The Michigan Wolverines have the best record in the history of NCAA football, but their program is in chaos because of Rodriguez' "system". This season, they have the worst record in their history, and their record streak of 32 straight years with a bowl game birth has been snapped. He could, and should have been coaching a "traditional" offense, so the athletes could have been successful. Not this coach. It was his "system" or nothing-the record does not matter to him. His athletes are demoralized, and play like it. To this type of bureaucrat, the end result means nothing, as long as he is in charge, and everyone is doing things the way he wants, regardless of the consequences.

Of course, until this coach is fired, which will likely come soon, I hope!!

Michigan's bureaucrats have another "system", the family law court system.

What can be more devastating to the state of Michigan than destroying its families and tearing children from their parents? On top of that, Michigan is PAID to do it, by the federal government.

The result here-federal incentives under Social Security Title IV-D, totalling BILLIONS of dollars are paid to each state, to forcibly remove a child from the life of one of his or her parents simply because the parents divorce.

After all, the bureaucrats only care about the system, and those it benefits.

They don't care about the system's victims.

All of the bureaucrats responsible for the continuance of Michigan's family law court system cannot be fired. Sure, you can vote many, or even most of them out of office, but their replacements will do the same things, resulting in the same devastation of our families and the lives of our children.

Changing the laws, and prohibiting the bureaucrats from continuing this is the only way to stop it.

EVERY DAY in Michigan, more children are forcibly removed from one of their parent's lives, and your elected officials only care about the federal dollars that roll in as their reward, and that the system continues to operate as it is.....

Now that the Democrats are running DC and most of Lansing we needto begin to communicate the need for DHS/CAPTA/VAWA/Title IV legislativechange. Looking at what has been proposed during the election we muststrike quickly to get our reform message in their ears. Obama's message of theneed for fathers and families needs to be directed towards legislativechanges that actually encourage the states to keep families intact and bothparents significantly involved with their children.

(1) The most important factor in a child's upbringing is whether thechild is brought up in a loving, healthy, supportive environment.

(2) Children who grow up with two parents are, on average, more likelythan their peers in single-parent homes to finish high school and beeconomically self-sufficient.

(3) Father-child interaction, like mother-child interaction, has beenshown to promote the positive physical, social, emotional, and mentaldevelopment of children.

SEC. 107. STATE ASSESSMENTS OF BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIALSUPPORT OF CHILDREN.

(a) State Assessments and Reports- As a condition of the continuedapproval of a State plan under part D of title IV of the Social SecurityAct (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), each State with an approved such plan,acting through the appropriate State agencies, shall assess the Statepolicies with respect to the issues described in subsection (b) andsubmit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on theresults of such assessment not later than March 15, 2008.

(b) (5) Identification of any other barriers to healthy family formationor sustainable economic opportunity for custodial and noncustodialparents that are created or exacerbated by Federal or State laws,policies, or procedures, including an examination of the rules ofFederal and State means-tested programs, the operation of the Stateworkforce system, the availability of financial education services, andthe availability of domestic violence services and child supportprocedures to help victims of domestic violence stay safe and obtain thechild support they are owed.

(c) Grants to States for Commissions on State Law Improvements in theBest Interest of Children and Families- The Secretary of Health andHuman Services shall award grants to States to establish or supportcommissions to review the State assessment conducted in accordance withsubsection (a) and to make recommendations on ways to improve State lawin the best interest of children and families.

Make sure that the Obama administration puts the money where their mouths are.

"The federal government spends $99.8 billion dollars every year onprograms - such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts -that support father-absent homes"

November 16, 2008

Our children have already been financially raped by the banking bailout as they will surely be responsible for paying the taxes on the massive amount of OUR money spent. Our families and children will soon become financial slaves to even more taxes based on an upcoming bailout of the U.S. auto industry.Contact your elected officials now and tell them NO on the auto industry bailout.

An excellent article, by Marc H. Rudov, that I wanted to share with everyone. "Thou Shall Not Disappont Her" is a must read article. One important point to mention is that women seek 70% of ALL marriage dissolutions, motivated in part by the Title IV-D pot waiting on the other side of family court.

October 28, 2008

Aristotle. Socrates. Plato. Twenty-five hundred plus years is no small amount of history as the foundation for today’s discussion. The three men profiled arguably founded, not only Greek Classical Thought, but also paved the way for thinking in cultures and peoples stretching beyond Europe, Africa and Asia to also Australia, North and South Americas; from as early as 500 BC to the current twenty-first century AD. That forms of thinking- “knowing of what?”- have segregated into various schools of logic remain today is a testament to the brilliance of these three individuals.

The scientific study of interpretation, relegated to its sovereign- truth, is called hermeneutics. Logic is the path to truth, with its vehicle being hermeneutics. The hermeneutic called Ockham’s Razor is the subject for today’s dissection!

Ockham’s Razor has been employed in many contexts with subsequent definitions appropriately affixed. Our working definition will remain as it applies to the law, most especially your case and mine! Our working definition is: "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best." Now let’s set our parameters.

Dominative Narrative:

In law, we often refer to the story as the dominative narrative, which contains as its underpinning the paradigm. This is simply understood in the following example:

Sally and Tom get a divorce. Sally and Tom have three children. Sally and Tom decide upon day care arrangements at XYZ Daycare for their children. XYZ Daycare charges $100/ week per child. Sally and Tom split the costs, despite Sally having greater use, as a result of her being the custodial parent and her having greater parenting time with said children.

Subsequently, after five years, both Sally and Tom become re-married, with each having an additional child. Ironically, both newborns are born only months apart. Additionally, as a result of much court battling, Tom is able to achieve a virtual 50/50 split in the parenting time of the jointly shared children. Both families continue to function, utilizing XYZ Daycare, as both new moms prepare to re-enter the work force. Soon thereafter, Sally’s new husband takes a job promotion and this necessitates Sally and her new hubby to move. The move creates a great distance, too prohibitive for Sally to continue to use XYZ Daycare. As such, she decides, with a newborn now a variable in her considerations, to hire a household employee at $500/ week flat rate to care for both joint children and her newborn. After moving, she informs Tom that she no longer will use the monies, she collects from Tom, to pay XYZ Daycare. Rather, she will utilize said monies to pay the new household employee at her home and that Tom will necessarily need to contribute more to Sally for the additional costs, now $500/ week. This now leaves Tom paying in full any costs that he has at XYZ Daycare when he has the joint children. Sally does not even consider that Tom, himself, has a newborn to plan into his equation.

Sally’s dominative narrative echoes her needs as custodial parent. Her paradigm is that of a victim- custodial mother with children at the mercy of a presumptive deadbeat dad who does not want to care for his children’s expenses.

Tom, who is financially broke, without council for assistance, turns to his local parental rights group for advice and proceeds to Court in Pro Se, armed with Ockham’s Razor, to defeat this injustice. Tom waits for his turn to speak, before the judge, and states the following:

“Sally has proffered a false paradigm of herself as a victim, in order to leverage this Court into granting an unfair award for day care expenses. The true paradigm is rather that Sally has herself chosen not in the best interest of our children and she is unwilling to provide her fair share for our children’s care while victimizing both their father and our children. Here are the facts judge!

The New Narrative:

“Sally moved without my knowledge until after the move was completed, so that her new husband could increase his income. Sally’s move re-located our children many miles away from their actively involved father who virtually has a 50/50 parenting time split with their mother. Sally then chose, not a day care equal to what has always been an acceptable day care for our children, but rather, she chose an improved style of care- nanny, with nanny’s subsequent cost increase, which serves not necessarily the best interest of our children, but rather serves Sally and her new hubby’s best interest. Even more so, Sally has wrongly included the cost for her newborn into the equation, while eliminating my costs still accruing for our children when they are with me; she has not considered the inherent increase of my travelling costs due to her moving; and, she has not added the known costs for day care associated with my newborn, if we are to compare both sides equally.

“Sally’s paradigm is false because according to Ockham’s Razor, ‘the answer that explains all of the facts in the simplest terms is the truth!’ Sally has censored many of the facts. Along with, she has insisted the facts she wants the Court to consider should be interpreted through her supplied paradigm as a victim of me, and as a mother with custody. The truth is found in all the facts explained by the simplest statement. Sally has chosen not in the best interest of our children and she has chosen to increase costs for the care of our children in order to extract greater amounts of money from me.

“This is shown by: She has chosen to distance our children from their father and she has increased, unnecessarily, the cost of our children’s day care through moving by creating the need for two day care arrangements and through hiring a nanny, a more expensive form of day care. On top of that, Sally has found that the additional costs associated with her newborn, that I am not the father of, should be shared by me, while the costs associated with my new born should not be equally shared by her. This, while she completely ignores the remaining costs associated with our children’s day care when they are with me and the increased cost of travelling expenses incurred by me due to Sally’s moving for her husband’s job promotion.

The New Paradigm:

Therefore your Honor, the new paradigm, according to Ockham’s Razor is that Sally operates according to her own self-interest which is towards the increase of her financial status at both the financial and emotional expenses of our children and of their father. I ask that the Court input day care costs at the fixed rate of XYZ Daycare. That Sally and I share these costs now almost twice as much as they used to be. That, neither her newborn, nor my newborn, should be considered in the computation of costs. That Sally re-imburse me half of the costs associated with my additional travels for her moving. And, Orally, I Motion this Court to find a change in circumstances under the MI Custody Act (MCL 722.21 Et, seq.) and Order a hearing in order to determine the Best Interest of our Children!

October 14, 2008

I had the pleasure of meeting with my first-grade daughter's teacher for about an hour earlier today.

The purpose of this early parent-teacher conference was to discuss some difficulties my first-grade daughter is having in class so far this year. The school's principle was also in attendance. Both of my daughters also listened in to the constructive ideas and informative sharing that took place.

Everyone essential to forming a constructive plan to assist my daughter in improvement early this school year, before the situation continues or worsens, was in attendance, EXCEPT my ex-wife-the mother of both my daughters.

I had addressed the situation with her last week, and she had "agreed" with me that we need to address our concerns jointly, as is our responsibility as parents, even as divorced ones. However, she afterwards to the teacher and principle expressed "her need" for a separate meeting.

Instead of choosing to be an active participant, with both parents and concerned parties in attendance, HER needs came first.

She has not had such a meeting, with anyone at the school. She does not have one scheduled. Her first answer to me, when I expressed my concern with our daughter, and the difficulties this school year to date was "so?" When I expressed my desire for a joint conference to discuss and address our concerns, she agreed with me that this was something we both needed to address, and together.

But, in the end, she did not care to attend this essential conference.

Whenever she does choose to meet with anyone at the school, it will be for a "bash dad" session, as she has done before. She has withheld important information from me concerning our youngest-in whose best interests is this?

As a loving, caring, and ACTIVE father in the lives of my daughters, I find this to be yet another intolerable and unacceptable lack of concern on her part. Yet, SHE was "proclaimed" the custodial parent-the one BEST able to care for our daughters.....Title IV-D dollars-look what you have done for my first-grader.....

She has failed to do a single thing for either of our daughters to warrant receiving a judge's blessing to raise them-in reality, she has done much to show her incapacities, and complete inability to do so properly.

The words "fit, willing, and able" are not just words to me. They show the very clear difference between parents who want to raise their children the best they can, as every child deserves, and those who use their children as a "meal ticket", living off of the child support, and every other government handout they can possibly get from the children they have "custody" of.

Even more astounding-just watch the family law court system "protect" the mother, and sit there, clueless, about what is in "the best interests of the child".

Once again, Michigan legislature, WHY do you REFUSE to pass The Equal Parenting Bill, House Bill 4564, and House Joint Resolution NN, the proposed "Parental Rights Constitutional Amendment", so loving, caring, and fit parents can raise their children? WHY????

My daughters NEED these changes to our state laws-they NEED their father to be allowed to raise them. I am being DENIED the right to do so.

"In the best interests of the child", is how they summarize their decisions. I DON"T THINK SO!!!!

I see, even more now than before, the necessity of telling this to the American public. I cannot help but wonder, how many other kids have a parent like the mother of my children, and how many other non-custodial parents fight for the best education for their kids, WITHOUT the interest, concern, and participation of the other parent????

October 10, 2008

Never mind the fact that I have spoken with her on several occasions about the subject of EQUAL PARENTING, and pending Michigan legislation that would mandate our family courts to order joint physical custody.

This particular co-worker is a divorced woman herself, and was a custodial mother. I have never heard her admit if or how she may have benefitted from the system. Previously, she had always seemed in agreement to the points I made in our talks.

Somehow, my volunteer work as an advocate and activist for father and parental rights has one female co-worker labeling me as a woman hater.

Actually, this is about the tenth time I have been called a "woman hater", right to my face, at my workplace.

This is a prime example of the gender-bias that DOES exist in America, when the subjects of EQUAL PARENTING or JOINT CUSTODY enter a discussion.

This is a prime example of the ignorance of the American public. A website for non-custodial mothers, the National Association of Non-Custodial Moms, Inc. , states there are about 2.2 MILLION non-custodial mothers in the US. A couple of months ago, I heard a new statistic that stated there were just under FOUR MILLION non-custodial mothers in the US.

Whatever the true number, American women need to acknowledge the facts here, and realize that, just because most of us are men, we are advocating for PARENTAL RIGHTS. There are many women in our activist ranks also, step-mothers, non-custodial moms, and others. Parents still do come in both genders, in spite of how the family courts treat one-half of a divorcing couple with children in this country.

It is far past time that PARENTS are treated like PARENTS, regardless of their gender.

When the truth is told, very few of my female co-workers like to hear anything of EQUAL PARENTING or JOINT CUSTODY.

Ladies, why is this??

And, by the way, my advocacy work has also earned me the "titles" of fanatic, lunatic, and chauvenist at my workplace also, with most of the comments made behind my back, but some made right to my face.

Ladies, what's up with the name calling, when I am working for PARENTS and their children?

Do you not want children raised by BOTH fit, willing, and able parents?

October 06, 2008

"To discriminate further against Ms. Kulstad because of her sexual preference in this day and age is no different than telling a person to go to the back of the bus because of her skin color," Judge Ed McLean wrote.

Why are fathers still being told to get in the back of the bus when it comes to child custody determinations? According to Dr. Stephen Baskerville, Ph.D., author of Taken Into Custody, roughly 80% of sole custody awards are given to mothers nationwide. When will the gender bias in America's family courts end?

More on this story can be found at Jeanne M. Hannah's excellent blog titled, "Updates in Michigan Family Law"

October 04, 2008

Every blog post, guest opinion and letter to the editor written by parental advocates bring the same request: "HELP ME." The request that should be asked is: "I want to become involved in this fight. My family and my children and I have been wronged by Michigan's family law court system. I want this abuse to stop, and I want to help."

EVERYONE is either personally affected by this judicial abuse, or has a relative, friend, neighbor, or co-worker who is. If you do not, you are in a very small minority.

What can you do to become involved in this struggle?

Become ACTIVE and INVOLVED. How?

FIRST- TELL TWO PEOPLE, EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOUR FAMILY. Tell this to your family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

SECOND-WRITE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. Start with your state representative, state senator, and the governor. Do NOT just email or call them. WRITE them an actual letter, and KEEP WRITING them, even after you have received any reply. You can then move on to your county commissioner. Do NOT give up after one or two letters. Be PERSISTANT, and DEMAND answers as to why the abuses continue.

THIRD-WRITE YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER, TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS. Tell them the abuses inflicted upon your family, your children, and yourself by our family law court system. Ask them to investigate and report the abuse. Again, BE PERSISTANT!!

FOURTH-WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR of your local newspaper. Make public the abuses inflicted upon your family and yourself. Once you have a letter printed, use it as a building block, and continue writing them.

WHAT SHOULD YOU TELL AND WRITE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ABOUT?

1. Michigan's family law court system is inflicting child abuse daily by removing a loving, fit, able, and willing parent from the lives of his or her children.

2. Under the financial rewards and incentives of Social Security Title IV-D, every state receives MILLIONS OF DOLLARS to strip parents from the life of their children. These taxpayer dollars come from the pockets of EVERY taxpayer in the U.S.

3. Your local Friend of the Court is the first step in the cycle of abuse. A FOC Conciliator will recommend which parent is to be custodial, and which will be non-custodial. The facts of the individual case do not matter, and the FOC will choose what, if anything, they truly investigate.

4. False allegations of domestic violence are commonly used by one party to try to gain an advantage in a custody situation. The system encourages this, and often rewards a custodial parent for making such fradulent claims, without any proof or evidence.

5. PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME is real. It is NOT a fable. Children ARE being alienated and torn from a parent by the other, to reap the rewards of child custody, child support, desiring to harm the other parent regardless of the consequences to their child(ren), and an insane need to completely control their child's life, regardless of the other parent's necessary and essential input.

These are just some of the issues you can speak with others and write about. Educate yourself on these topics if you are not already fully informed on them. The truth and the facts are publicly available.

Do NOT continue to sit there, cry, and complain. Do NOT just try to get some relief from your personal case and then stop your activities-the system will continue, and any relief will be short-lived.

Only with CONSISTANT and PERSISTANT action and involvement will the abuses ever be corrected.

YOU must choose-will you continue to sit idly by, and continue to be part of the problem, or will you become an active and involved paticipant in this fight, and strive to be a part of the solution?

The suggestions I listed above are just a part of what you can do and should be doing. I have done all of these, and much beyond.

September 29, 2008

The Barnum & Bailey-Ringling Bothers Circus was at Grand Rapids' VanAndel Arena from Thursday, September 18 to Sunday, September 21.

My daughters and I did not go. I could not afford to take them, even with a discount offer on tickets I received in August.

I did manage to scrimp and save enough to take them to a performance last year, but could not this time. Everything else costs more now, and we have not received a cost of living allowance.

I do wonder if Michigan Friend of the Court employees, judicial employees and judges took the time to take their own children to a performance. Nah-they were probably too busy tearing other kids away from their fit and able parents, and gloating over the millions of federal dollars they get via the Title IV-D incentives for doing so.

It is such a travesty and a waste-a system that no one asked for(except those who profit from it), no one wants (except the members of the system), and one that commits this level of abuse, and not only gets away with it, they get REWARDED for it!!

If EQUAL PARENTING were the norm, as it should be, many more parents would have the cash available to take their kids to such an event as a circus. Fit, willing, and able parents would be taking care and providing for their own children when their kids are home with them, instead of providing the same standard of living for all of these attorneys, custody evaluators, psychiatrists, social workers, and others.

I do believe some of them took their children to the circus, and WE paid the bill!! After all, Michigan state employees got THEIR cost of living increases, at OUR expense.

Michigan's family law court system-its actions are in its own best interests, NOT in those of children of a divorced or otherwise broken home. Yet, they are still here, still decimating our families, and raking in millions of taxpayer dollars that we could use to make a house payment, put food on the table, or take our children to a special event, like a circus.

Hey, other divorced, non-custodial fathers-did you take your kids to a circus this year? Could not afford to? Thank the Michigan legislature for NOT passing EQUAL PARENTING, House Bill 4564.

Thank our family law judges and all the lawyers too. You keep their standard of living intact, so they can take their kids to special events, and can bond closer with them. YOUR children will just have to do without, and the system does not care if you bond with them or not.

September 13, 2008

HOWEVER, according to Michigan's family law court system and American media, "Angry Fathers" are those who never bothered taking care of their children when they were married, don't care about their kids now, don't pay their child support, don't deserve to have custody of their kids now, and are those who contest the system for taking away their kids.

Well, they got the last one right, anyway.

Yes. Absolutely. ANGRY FATHERS do indeed exist.

In fact, I am one of them.

I am angry with the Michigan family law court system, and its entourage of others who presume to think they know what is best for my two daughters, and those who make their living off of destroying our families.

I have been termed an ANGRY FATHER, because:

1: I know that I am a loving, capable, and fit parent, who wants to raise my children in the proper manner, as they deserve. I demand to do so, and be left alone by our government so I can.

2: I contest, and fight, the family law court system because they have committed child abuse-on my daughters, and thousands of other sons and daughters in Michigan.

3: The system has violated our guaranteed, fundamental rights, under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 14th. PROHIBITS a state from doing what they do hundreds of times every day-remove a child from the life and home of a loving, caring, and fit parent. I personally resent this.

4: My personal income, the very source I need to support my children as well as myself is forcibly taken from me on a weekly basis. This paid ransom brings in federal dollars, from Title IV-D, to reward Michigan for removing my daughters from the only safe, stable and secure home they will know as children. These federal dollars are taken from EVERYONE'S paycheck, as social security withholdings. YES-including YOURS!!!

5: I have been reduced to a "visitor" in the lives of my daughters.

6: EVERYONE seems to have a vested interest in deciding when I see my children, how long I see them, if I even see them at all, and even used to determine how I saw them. My daughters and I had to endure "supervised parenting time" for six weeks after the custody fight, in which I had to PAY to see my daughters for a one-hour period.

7: We have a government that routinely turns its head away from us, closes its ears, refuses to listen, refuses to see what is happening, and gives us occasional "lip service" in an attempt to pacify us, withhout any real desire or intent to change the system.

And let's not forget the ones that REALLY PISS OFF THE SYSTEM:

8: I write letters to newspapers, educating the people of Michigan as to the realities of the Michigan family law court system.

9: I take part in rallies, meets, and other events. Some are demonstrations. Some are protests. Others are educational in nature.

10: I write my county commissioners, state elected officials, and federal elected officials, in complaint of what is happening.

11: Finally, I take whatever further action that I, solo, or in agreement with others, determine will be of benefit to the Equal Parenting cause/movement.

But, let's not forget the biggest reasons why some of us are called ANGRY FATHERS. It is because we refuse to roll over, refuse to accept what the FOC and judges do, fight handing our income over to bureaucrats as ransom and extortion money, and we actually and actively stand up for ourselves, our rights as parents, and for our children.

The system does NOT like this.

For those of you who are truly an ANGRY FATHER, in the fight such as myself, I applaud you.

In my humble opinion, if everything that has happened to you and your children since the begginning of your divorce/custody case does NOT make you angry, there is something seriously wrong with you.

September 03, 2008

Some kids are yelling "yes". Others are crying "no!!". Parents are relieved, with a "finally".

I have some words of wisdom for all of you parents, especially for the non-custodial ones amongst us.

Please, please, please, make sure that all the paperwork for all of your children is properly filled out, and returned directly to the school office as soon as possible. The contact information, with the correct phone numbers, complete with emergency numbers, is essential. Also of great importance is WHO can pickup your children from school, and if your child will be picked up, or will ride a bus home. Release forms, allowing your child to travel in-district to events, plays, field trips, and the like are also included in the packages this time of year.

For all of you non-custodial parents, double-check the following, PLEASE!!:

1. That the PROPER contact information is on the form for your child(ren), including that for BOTH you and the custodial parent, if you share joint legal custody, including name, relationship, home number, and work number.

2. That only the PROPER people to pick up your child(ren) from school are on the "approved" list.

3. Please check to make sure that BOTH of you sign and date the release forms, including any "medical release" or "medication at school" forms.

4. Double-check EVERYTHING-every single form, if they have been filled out by the custodial parent, just to be absolutely sure.

Why double check everything?

From a voice of experience-when my first born daughter was enrolled for kindergarten four years ago, our public school district did NOT even know she had a father. My ex- had DELIBERATELY left off ANY and ALL contact information for me, and we share joint legal custody. It took over two months of conversations with the school administrators, and several PROMISES as to what was going to happen if they did not rectify the situation IMMEDIATELY. Also, never make any threats whatsoever. Make true, sincere, promises of what actions you WILL take to correct the "oversights" if they happen, AND THEY WILL. School administrators tend to listen when they see a determined, honest, and sincere parent in front of them. When my youngest daughter was enrolled in school two years ago there were no such problems.

Also, make sure that you are properly informed of picture days, so you can order your own, and not rely on the other parent. Make sure you are on the school's mailing list, for monthly newsletters and the like. Make absolutely certain that you are notified of ALL parent-teacher conference dates, and set an appointment for them! I had to "inconvenience" them the first year, insisting that I also meet with my daughter's teacher. They very quickly got used to this involved father, and I now have a good relationship with the school principle and the teachers.

If you possibly can, VOLUNTEER at your child's school. Many options are available for this, and few fathers take advantage of them. Most PTO's and other school organizations are largely made up of women-and the kids are missing out on the "male perspective" on things. Besides, volunteering to read to a class, perhaps put on a special presentation based upon your career or employment, or go as a chaperone on a field trip is NOT gender-exclusive. And, yes, they have special forms for this too, to make sure that only respectfull, well-meaning, and SAFE individuals can get anywhere near YOUR children.

Regardless of the relationship with your ex-spouse, this is your child(ren)'s education. Put aside the differences, and work together, to provide your child a productive, happy, safe, and educational school year experience!

By the way, non-custodial parent, you SHARE your child(ren) pick-up responsibilities with the other parent, RIGHT? If not, pick that as an essential goal, work for it, and make it happen!

Do NOT make the mistake of expecting the courts or your local FOC office to enforce "joint legal custody" guidelines. They won't. My advice-deal directly with the school first, if you encounter any problems. Show them you are sincere, and mean business. Earn their respect, if you can.

After all, children deserve the right to the love, care, guidance, EDUCATION, and nurturing of BOTH fit, willing, and able parents. Denying a child any of this is child abuse!

September 01, 2008

Governor Sarah Palin revived John McCain's campaign from the dead. This will without a doubt make the race very competitive in November. Governor Palin has a positive track record in reducing government intrusion into familes. The National Organization for Women (NOW) ironically does not support Gov Palin. No surprise there! General common sense would lead you to think that if NOW doesn't like her then she must be great for us dads!

Placing the brilliant VP pick by McCain aside. Who is best for fathers? McCain or Obama?

In our opinion neither are ideal and both seem to be clueless as to the plight of today's fathers. However, Obama may talk alot about fathers but he has to be the worst candidate of the two. Obama's Responsible Fatherhood Act fails to recognize that fit and willing fathers are removed from their children's lives for the states to maximize Title IV-D funds.

“The federal incentives drive the system. The more divorces, and the higher the child-support guidelines are set and enforced (no matter how unreasonable), the more money the state bureaucracy collects from the feds. Follow the money. The less time that non-custodial parents (usually fathers) are permitted to be with their children, the more child support they must pay into the state fund, and the higher the federal bonus to the states for collecting the money. " - Phyllis Schlafly

Obama's Responsible Fatherhood Act mentions child support 65 times and fails to mention parenting time, custody, visitation time or access denial. Not only is this hostile to fathers but it also fails children by ignoring the numerous benefits of shared parenting for children. Dads are more than paychecks! Obama's Responsible Fatherhood Act is not only bad for fathers and children, but it will also significantly increase the size of government and the intrusion into our families.

August 18, 2008

Excellent video with Lary Holland from the DC Festival 2008. I just love this video! Lary Holland is not only smart by has a sense of humor that I have always enjoyed. Special congrats to Lary Holland and all who helped organize and attended this event. For more information on the video and event visit Family Court Reports

August 12, 2008

Will men ever wake up? Think things are great for men and it is "a man's world"? If you do perhaps you crawled out of a cabin in the early 1900's. True Equality created this incredible video and let me tell you it is a MUST SEE! I learned alot from it and wanted to share it with our readers. Please tell others about this post and send them the link.

August 11, 2008

One of the first actions by a family law court once divorce papers for a couple with children have been filed is to schedule a conciliation conference with your local FOC.

Your local FOC staff will be only too kind to make you well aware of child support!!

In this meeting, the FOC conciliator/investigator is required, under Michigan law (MCL 552.505(g)) to "investigate all relevant facts...regarding child custody or parenting time, or both..."

Do they?

Absolutely not.

What the FOC WILL investigate is whatever they wish to. They will listen to whomever they wish to (usually the mother), and ignore and silence whomever they wish to (usually the father). They will happily take the word of others who benefit and profit from this abusive system, including psychologists, social workers, and others who do not know you or your children, and who all claim to know "what is best" for your children.

Your local FOC is also required, under MCL 552.505(b), to "inform each party to the domestic relations matter that, unless one of the parties is required to participate in the Title IV-D child support program, they may direct the office of the friend of the court to close the (FOC) case".

Do they?

Nope.

Your FOC conciliator has to choose one parent to be the custodial, the other (about 85% of the time the father) will be the non-custodial.

Why?

If this is not done, no Title IV-D money will be forthcoming to that county and the state from that divorce/custody action. Obviously, if the couple knows about the FOC "opt-out", they may choose that option, leaving the FOC staff with no profit from that custody action.

In my personal case, the conciliator told me "that's very annoying" when I tried to inject facts and the truth into the conversation. She also added, several times, "that doesn't matter". The conciliator in the case did NOT investigate all of the relevant facts. In fact, she investigated NONE of the facts or the issues I brought up.

I have personally spoken with other, amicably divorcing couples with children, who entered their conciliation with an agreed upon parenting plan and details, including support, only to have the plans ignored and tossed out by the FOC with the words "someone HAS to pay child support". In two of these cases, the parents had agreed that there would be NO child support exchanged between them. When they walked out, both fathers had been made a non-custodial and told to pay up.

Is this gender bias against the father?

Sure it is.

You can file a grievance against your FOC staff for "gender bias", and they will simply say it was not. That is the end of that issue, as far as the FOC is concerned.

Michigan's family law court system cares not about any child suffering from a divorce situation. They do care about how much profit they can rake in from that case. They do care about forcing one parent from the life of that child, because that brings in money!! They do care about limiting the time the child has with one of his or her parents, because that increases the Title IV-D funds coming in.

Therefore, if an essentially needed and common sense piece of legislation such as House Bill 4564, The Equal Parenting Bill was passed, this would seriously curtail the federal funds coming in from custody cases.

Michigan's family court judges, FOC staff members, plus all the family law attorneys and others who profit from the destruction of our families can't have that now, can they? They would all rather increase the anger and the tension between divorcing couples with children, increase the litigation time, and maximise the litigation and federal incentive fund dollars flowing to all those involved.

Your local FOC staff has no interest in dealing with matters of "denial of parenting time". Again, the more time a child is with the non-custodial parent, the fewer the dollars that come in to the system.

Your local FOC will make a fit, willing, and able parent into a mere visitor in the lives of his children, and may even be so kind as to back-date the order for you, so you will owe hundreds or even thousands of dollars when you leave your conciliation. You may even be a felon already!!

Divorced non-custodials, you will be made very well "aware" of child support!!

Thanks Courtney for your Op-Ed piece- "The Maternal Is Political" sums it up well! Another recognized demographic seeking equality through politics!

As goes with any new movement, already prior stated- Motherhood is not well defined. It's not centered under a label. It has not a leader!

May I offer some suggestions? Myself, I'm a father! For years, we men, oops fathers, have dissembled, tripped, stumbled and bumbled in no particular direction in our attempt to make our claims of injustice, ironically, towards the same ends that mom's seek, only on different issues! We have fought vehemently, with all those opposed to us. May I dare say? You All! Moms!

The losers have been three groups, with the winners being two groups. The losers are both moms and dads and the underrepresented group called children! The winners have been lawyers and the political machine- whether called the courts, the legislature, or the executive branch leaders.

As we both toil, spending endless time and resources "bashing each other", has it occurred to only dads that neither group (moms or dads) is getting anywhere? Again, let's not forget the kids! That, while our government continues to increase taxes, devalues our earnings through inflation and continues to reign supreme in our lives, our households, and, over our children! Again, let's not forget the agent of debt- the attorneys, so employed to carry our message, whether in the courts or as officers of the various political branches. Have we all bought and sold their agenda? Their story? Their belief system?

History seems to so indicate! Whenever the people have discharged their duties to run government, thus anointing their leaders, who usurp the very people's rights once thought unimpeachable, now lost!

May I talk a vote? Who amongst us is guilty of sitting back apathetically not carrying his/ her duty to run/ control government? I'm guilty, as a citizen, a man and a father! My guilt is only exceeded by my ignorance- I bought and sold their lie!

Today's men's/ father's movement has at its core the fundamental belief that it's mom's fault! No lie could be farther from the truth. At the core of the feminist agenda is that its men's fault. Again, no lie could be farther from the truth!

We have blossomed today, most affected by the 1960's. We emerged from our political obedience into the false belief that our freedom was in the discharging of our responsibility! Then when we had our freedoms usurped there was a governmental agent, a lawyer or a political movement poised to fill our minds with the rhetoric of hatred. Hatred for another demographic group. And thus, the polarization begins again! May I suggest, the protagonist and antagonist of these battles are both created "Straw Horses" of the most sinister kind!

For all of recorded humanity, humanity has oft found itself polarized at the behest of its government and/ or its minions! To whom shall we lay this blame? In our foolishness, we blame each other, because they told us too! In our anger we fight each other! We target each other! And, thereby fuel the cycle of insanity by avoiding ever looking at ourselves!

May I suggest- that BOTH MOMS AND DADS need to take a candid individual look at, "how I am conducting myself?" I am for one- Guilty!

As we enter the second decade of our twenty-first century, may we start with an honest look at ourselves? Find that our greatest ally is our perceived enemy? And, seek to find ways to bridge our gaps? To work towards equality amongst all of our polarized demographic concerns?

As a boy growing up in the 70’s, my father taught me a valuable lesson towards understanding, often times, the seemingly peculiar chain of events of an incident. He said,“Just follow the money trail. Then you’ll know both why and what has and will happen.” Sage words of wisdom from the “Ole man!” These words were not any more truthful then, than they are now!

As I progressed thru my divorce proceedings, ultimately believing the judicial system would soon discover the truth about myself- contrary to how my Ex portrayed me; the truth of my ability to raise my kids- contrary to how my Ex portrayed me; and, the truth of the need for my four young children to have both parents equally involved in their lives, I became disillusioned, contrary to my formerly held belief, over the continuous Orders rendered by the Court! First in its sole custody award to my Ex. Then, its outrageous child and spousal support awards- triple the state’s mandated formula. Finally, as a death knell, an order of visitation, with my kids, for only four days per month! There were no summer vacations, only six half days of holidays and not any time on their birthdays. I was devastated. I couldn’t believe it! I fought back, only to lose again, and again.

After my third stint in the county jail, for allegedly being in Contempt for support arrearages; I guess over 80% garnishment of my check was not enough; I began to research this obvious injustice from my father’s old adage- “follow the money trail.” I soon discovered my Court’s pecuniary interest in: Making me a non-custodial parent; Ordering support triple the state’s formula; Refusing to reduce my support despite proof of my wage; Illegally editing the Official Court Record; Repeatedly incarcerating me for alleged contempt; Refusing to provide me with a Court appointed attorney as an indigent; And, Worst of all, taking my kids away from me by suspending my parenting time!

The Court had developed a racket, a term commonly applied to syndicated crime families. The law had become the mob! Back in 1995, the Federal Legislature re-worded its laws for Welfare, Food Stamps, etc. The old wording was “a mother with child(ren) who has an absent father,” to the new wording, “non-custodial parent.” The seemingly innocuous re-wording was intended to defray the huge expenses the Feds were paying out to states in Food Stamps, Welfare, etc by incentivizing states to begin collecting child support from the absent father, now called the non-custodial parent. These, seemingly were the proper things to do. Why should children be allocated tax dollars for their care instead of parents paying to care for their own children? Ah, but we missed that third variable didn’t we? “The Federal Government wanted to incentivize the states.”

The states’ incentive is called Federal Title IV Block Grant Funding. The states receive funding from the Federal Government at a 2:1 match. (There are actually additional incentives for states beyond this figure tied to their performances) These block grants go straight to the County Court. Ah ha! My father was right! “Follow the money trail.” Now the injustices made sense. Now the kidnapping of my children made sense! Now the senseless incarcerations made sense. Now the erasing of Court documents made sense. Now the falsely claimed, irrationally applied, “Best Interest of the Children” made sense! Now the state’s hypocrisy made sense!

The next time you wander into a Family Court in MI and you hear a non-custodial parent attacking the court for its pecuniary interest, remember what my “ole man” said, “follow the money trail!” Sage advice for those of us who have children!

June 29, 2008

[W]hy then do parents who have NOT abandoned their child(ren) accept being classified as “non-custodial”??? Doesn’t accepting the label of “non-custodial” further the idea that legal positivism will be tolerated rather than attacked ferociously as well?

I agree with your implications. Legal Positivism is the denial of morality in law. While it might be argued not every law has moral implications (although I would present a different thesis), the legal positivist would assert no law has any moral implication. The law and morality are separately defined circles that never overlap. Our defense against legal positivism is founded in our basic assumptions. Or, as I am want of saying, our belief system!

That we the people, ever claim to have any rights must necessarily be derivative from an Authority. That we insist, that we have unalienable rights inherent within our beings, necessarily requires that those rights come both from said Authority and are also embodied within that said Authority, not the law. Otherwise, we begin down the slippery slope of relativism- non-absolutes. Thus, emerging with the reigning power self-granting its own authority- by law, according to its own agenda- sovereign’s will, to the degradation of the masses' once assumed unalienable rights, now absent Authority. The telos- The ultimate result, leads to totalitarianism!

One cannot insist he/ she has unalienable rights without granting that said unalienable rights are both embodied within and derivative from God! Once, we allowed the government to convince us that God was not allowed in the schools, thirty plus years ago, we began down the slippery road of relativism; Utilizing the replacement theology of existentialism; interpreting with the hermeneutic of modernism (and now post-modernism) resulting in the employed methodology of legal positivism to not only law, but also life. Absent of God, we have become absent of morality.

While woman for several decades have been moving their collective agendas through the legislatures and the courts, we men, more broadly IV-D and IV-E non-custodial victims, have nobody but ourselves to blame! We stood passive far too long ago, discharging our duty in the belief that- unalienable rights have no requisite in corresponding duties! Simple contract law asserts that "no right exists without a corresponding duty!" While assigning our duty to our elected officials we also, ignorantly, discharged our right to control government.

It is no wonder, within our ranks, that we see the evidences of our discharged duty. On the one hand, we have tyranny, ranging from ranting to, in some cases, full fledge gun assaults. On the other hand, we have tyranny's logical antithesis- apathy! Such has gathered us to this day!

“The fatuous path of the amoral person is the silent anesthesia of doom!”